What would childcare look like if the government really cared?

What could childcare look like in 2020, if our federal and provincial governments actually invested in a universal and affordable system?

Parents could drop their children at inviting childcare centres that provide educational and culturally-relevant programs.

Home daycare providers could earn decent wages and network together to share skills and experiences.

Women could participate fully in the workforce, knowing that their children are in nurturing and safe environments.

And families of all stripes could begin saving for their children’s post-secondary education and their own retirements, free from the burden of the “double mortgage years.”

Comprehensive universal childcare for the next generation. That is the vision of Childcare 2020.

As it stands, the majority of parents must rely on a patchwork of largely unregulated childcare, with no guarantee of quality. The cost of childcare presents a crushing burden for most families, with fees as high as $1,800 a month for a one-year old in major cities such as Toronto and Ottawa.

The Conservative government has chosen a “Leave it To Beaver” approach, offering families the equivalent of a toonie per day to pay for childcare, couching it in the language of “choice.” The reality is that the costs are so high right now, that many women have no choice but to leave the workforce until their kids are in school.

Watch our Childcare 2020 video for a glimpse into what the future could hold if the federal government invested in a national childcare system.